Vehicle for undulating ground



March 15, 1932. L. GUSSALLI 1,849,325

' VEHICLE FOR UNDULATING GROUND Filed Jan. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H o g O I a 3 w //y I g u (b 0 ah m a i ,fivemtor; H

March 15, 1932. L. GUSSALLI VEHICLE FOR UNDULJATING GROUND 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 6, 1930 6 w a m Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATEN'EQFFIC LUIGI GUSSAIQLI, or BRESCIA, ITALY VEHICLE For, urine-Lamina GROUND Application filed January 6, 1930, Serial No. 418,926,,anc1 in Belgium July 31, 1928.

The present invention has for its subject vehicles arranged in such a manner as'to ized in that their body, "preferably shaped as a gondola provided with seats and oper ating members, is supported by atleast two shoes bearing on the ground, and of which I the shape and surface are arranged according to the nature of the ground to be travcrsed, and its forward movement is produced by at least a pair of similar shoes actuated by a member carrying out a circular move- 2 ment, of which the amplitude is made proportional to the speed of forward movement desired, and set in operation by the driver of the vehicle, the height of the said shoes for forward movement above the ground" being adjustable in such a manner as to enable the relation between the lifting there} of and the forward .movement of the vehiole on the ground to be varied as desired at each step. They are also characterized by other secondary arrangements which may be varied as required without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is not sufiicient toadopt very light structures in the construction of vehicles of this type so as to enable the propulsion over the groundto be eiiected simply by the muscular power of the driver. It isnecessary to make the .mechanisms very simple and suitable for operation with a very high mechanical efiiciency. For example, vehicles equipped with endless tracks (mounted on rolling chains) can never be moved except by sufficiently powerful mechanical motors as, independently of any useful work, their mechanisin consumes a considerable power.

In contrast, the mechanisms used in the construction of the vehicles .formingthesubject of .the present invention, are arranged in such a'manner that their operation, when running idly,requires only small forces. It

set outthe natureand advantages ofthe 7 present invention. 1

In these drawings: v y 7 F1". 1 illustrates a side elevat1on;

Fig-2 is a-plan view of a vehicle accord- 1 ing to the invention;

Figs. 8 and 4 are cross-sections of a steel tube and a steelblade shoe, respectively;

Fig. 5 isa detailview of one of the slidable boxes; 1 I

Figs. 6 and 7 are partial transverse sec tions of the vehicleshowing theslidable box in two dilierent positionsyand I Fig. 8 is a partial elevational viewof .a

vehicle with a number of shoes. The vehicle is provided with a single seat, two supporting shoes and'a pair of'propelling shoes, these shoes being suitable for ploughed or simplyundulating ground. By changing the shoes these vehicles may be rendered suitable for travelling over sandy, marshy, ice etc. ground. These shoes'may also be provided with anti-skid devices as are usually applied to tractors and similar machines.

The shoes 1, 2, 8, a are oil a mixtilinear shape and, in the form of construction illustrated, are formed of suitably .bent simple steeltubes (:Fig. 3). Each of the propelling; shoes 1-4 is secured toat least two uprights, each of which 5 is provided with a ballbearing box 6 capable of being securedat. an adjustable height by bolts 19 slidable in a. slot 20 as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. In the case illustrated each uprightis formed of two feet '8 secured to the body9,,in the form of IOU a gondola, in which is provided a seat 10 for the driver between whose legs is located a wheel 11, capable of actuation by hand, mounted in a transverse shaft 12 and driving, by chain wheels 13 and 15 and chain 14, another shaft 12 parallel to the shaft 12. At the ends of the shafts 12, 12 are mounted cranks 13 the pins 18 of which engage with ball bearing boxes 6 of the corresponding uprights.

When the bearing boxes 6 are secured at a lower level in the uprights 5 (see Fig. 6) the propelling shoes 1-d will never skim over the ground because the distance indicated at h on Fig. 6 of the lower dead point of the crank 13 from the ground is insutlicient to raisethe vehicle. In this case these shoes simply partake of the circular movement of the cranks 13'. By slightly raising the boxes 6 in the uprights 5 (see Fig. 7) these shoes 1-4 bear upon the ground during the lower V are of this circular movement, because now the distance indicated at h is greater than the shortest distance between the lower cead point of the crank and the ground and the vehicle should therefore be raised from the ground by an amount equal to the rise of this arc. The power to be exerted by the driver is equal to the total weight of the vehicle divided by the ratio between the diameters of the wheel 11, and the circumference described by the pin 6 of the crank 13, fl the mechanical work corresponding wit each step of forward movement is obtained by the product of said weight and the amount of said rise, which may be reduced as much as necessary so as to reduce the fatigue of the driver.

This arrangement therefore enables the mechanism to be so adjusted to render propulsion possible irrespective of the load of the vehicle. 1

This apparatus with its'essential features may be used for the transport of loads and also for cultivating operations on submerged, marshy or sandy ground, and in general it may accomplish the work generally carried out by endless track tractors.

Steering of the vehicle described very easy. It is sufficient to provide in the body two hammer feet 16 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7 of which the operating heads 1'? are arranged within reach of the driver, these feet being arranged on opposite sides near t the supporting shoes and in a transverse I the corresponding propelling shoe will consequently perform less work than the other which thus enables the vehicle to be turned almost within its length.

In order to accelerate the propulsion, whilst at the same time eliminating the action of the weight of the propelling shoes, it is possible to use a number of pairs of shoes actuated by multiple cranks regularly displaced relatively to one another in the circle which they describe when turning as illustrated in the partial elevational view shown in Fig. 8. also possible to use any suitable small motor 21 as illustrated in Fig. 2 for driving the driving wheel 11 or any other corresponding mechanical. means in place of manual power.

What I claim is:

1. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in conibi ion: a body, having seating means, supporting shoes fixed to the bottom of said body and adapted to bear on the ground, movable shoes connected to said body,driving means mounted on said body and adapted to alternately raise, advance and lower said movable shoes so as to advance said body, and

means for steering the vehicle.

2. A VQlIlClG'SUltlblQ for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy,

means mounted on said body, a mechanism for actuating said movable shoes from said driving means and connectingsaid movable shoes to said body, and means for steering the vehicle.

3. A vehicle suitable for travellingover any natural groune, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of supporting shoes bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, a pair of movable shoes, driving means mounted on said body, a mechanism connecting said pair of movable shoes to said body and adapted to actuate said movable shoes from' said driving means, and means for steering the vehicle.

4. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of arcuate tubes shaped in the form of a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, a pair of movable arcuate tubes similarly shaped, a mechanism connecting said pair of movable arcuate tubes to said body and driving means in said body for actuating said mechanism to raise, advance and lower said movable tubes, and means for steering the vehicle.

5. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of blades each It isv of which is arcuated in the .form of a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, another pair of similarly shaped blades movable with respect to said body, driving means in said body, a mechanism actuated by said driving means and connecting said movable blades to said body, said mechanism beingadapted to raise, ad- Vance and lower said movable blades with re-.

. spect to said body, and vmeans for steering rality of crank shafts journalled on said body and having at their ends a plurality of cranks v thepins of which are journaled in said bearing boxes, a mechanism for actuating said shafts by said driving means, and means for steering the vehicle.

7. 1'1 vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a .pair of arcuated tubes each of which is shaped as a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, a pair of movable arcuated similarly shaped tubes, a pair of uprights fixed oneach of said movable tubes, bearing boxes slidable along said uprights, bolts for fixin d boxes on said uprights at any desired height, cranks pivoted by their crank; pins in said bearing boxes, two shafts journaled 'on said body and carrying at their ends said cranks, driving means for rotating said shafts, and means for steering the vehicle.

8. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of blades each of which is arcuated as a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, another pair of similarly shaped blades movable with respect to said body, a pair of uprights fixed on each of said movable blades bearing boxes slidable along said uprights, bolts for fixing said boxes on said uprights at any desired height, cranks pivoted by their crank pins in said bearing boxes, two shafts journaled on said body and carrying at their ends said cranks, driving means for rotating said shafts, and means for steering the vehicle.

9. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy,

stony, marshy orsubmerged land, having in. combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of arcuated tubes each shaped as a ski,:bearing on the ground and fixed tothe bottom of said body, a pair; of movable arc'uated tubes similarlyhshaped, a pair of uprights lixed on each of said move able tubes, bearingboxes slidable along said uprights, bolts for fixing said boxes on said uprights at any desired height, cranks pivoted by their crank pins in said bearing boxes, two shafts journaled on said body and carrying at their ends-said cranks,a rotatable member. toyed on each of said shafts, endless members positioned about said rotatable members and connecting said shafts one with another, ally wheel keyed on one of saidshafts and adapted for manual operation,and means for, steering the vehicle. 1

1'0. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, suchas ploughed,sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body. in the form of .a boat having seating means, a pair of blades each arcuated asa ski, bearing on the ground and fixed tothe bottom of said body, another pair of similarly shaped blades movable with respect to'said body, a pair of uprights fixed 011 each of said movable blades, bearing boxes slidable along said uprights,bolts for fixing said boxes on said-uprights at any desired height, cranks pivoted by their crank pins in said bearing boxes,two shafts journaled on said body and carrying at their ends said cranks, a rotatable member keyed on each of said shafts, endless members positioned about said rotatable members and connecting said shafts for rotation one with another, a

fly wheel. keyed on one of said shafts for manual operation, and means for steering the vehicle. y

11. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body having seating means, supporting shoes fixed to the bottom of said body and; adapted to bear on the ground, movable shoes connected to said body, driving means mountedon said body and adapted to alternately raise,advance and lower said movable shoes so as to advance said body, twov hammer feet arrangedon said body in proxiinity of said seating means and at the opposite sides near said supporting shoes, in a transverse plane passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle, for projection and withdrawal to provide for the steering of the vehicle.

12. A vehiclesuitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body shaped as a boat and having seating means, supporting shoes fixed to thebottom ofsaid body and adapted to bear on the ground, movable shoes, driving for steering the vehicle.

13. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land,having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of arcuated tubes each shaped as a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body,

. a pair of movable arcuated tubes similarly shaped, a mechanism connecting said pair of movable arcuated tubes to said body and driving'means in said body for actuating said mechanism to raise, advance and lower said -movable tubes, two hammer feet arranged on said body in proximity of'said seating i ieans and at the opposite sides near said support-v ing tubes, in a transverse plane passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle for'projection and withdrawal to provide for the steering of the Vehicle;

14. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of blades each arcuated as a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, another pair of similarly shaped blades movable with respect to said body, driving means in said body, a mechanism connecting said movable blades to said driving means and adapted to raise, advance and lower said movable blades with respect to said body, two hammer feet arranged on said body in prox' ity of said seating means and at the opposite sides near said supporting blades, in a transverse plane passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle, for projection and withdrawal to provide for the steering of the vehicle.

15. A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as. ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, driving means on said body, supporting shoes fixed to the bottom of said body, at least one pair of movable shoes, a pair at least'of uprights for each movable shoe, bearing boxes slidable along said uprights, means for securing said boxes on said uprights at any desired height, a number of crank shafts journaled on said body and having at their ends a number of cranks the pins of which are journaled in said bearin boxes, a mechanism for actuating said shafts by said driving means, two

hammer feet arranged on said body in the proximity of said seating means and at the opposite sides near said supporting shoes, in a transverse plane passing through the center of gravity'of the vehicle, for projection and withdrawal to provide forthe steering of the vehicle.

' 16. Avehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body in the form of a boat having seating means, a pair of arcuated tubes each shaped as a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, a pair of movable arcuated tubes similarly shaped, a pair of uprights fixed on each of said movable tubes, bearing boxes slidable along said uprights, bolts for fixing said boxes on said uprights at any desired height, cranks pivoted by their or nk pins in said bearing boxes, two shafts journaled on said body and carrying at their ends said cranks,

a rotatable member keyed on each of said;

seat-ts, endless members running over said rotatable members to connect said shafts one with another, a fly Wheel keyed on one of said shafts for manual operation, two hammer feet arranged on said body in proximity to said seating means and at the opposite sides near said supporting tubes, in a transverse plane passing through the center of 'ity of the vehicle, for projection and withdrawal to provide for the steering of the vehicle.

17 A vehicle suitable for travelling over any natural ground, such as ploughed, sandy, stony, marshy or submerged land, having in combination: a body shaped as a gondola having seating means, a pairof blades arcuated as a ski, bearing on the ground and fixed to the bottom of said body, another pair of similarly shaped blades movable with respect to said body, a pair of uprights fixed on each of said movable blades, gearing boxes slidable along said uprights, bolts for fixing said boxes on said uprights at any desired height, cranks pivoted by their crank pins in said bearing boxes, two shafts journaled on said body and carrying at their ends said cranks, a rotatable member keyed on each of sail shafts, endless members running over said rotatable members to connect said shafts one with another, a fly wheel keyed on one of said shafts for manual operation, two hammer feet arranged on said body in proximity of said seating means and at the opposite sides near said supporting blades, in a transverse plane passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle, for projection and withdrawal to provide for the steering of the vehicle.

LUIGI GUSSALLL 

